1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a fishing reel having a brush-type brake device and, more particularly, to a fishing reel having a brush-type brake unit which is fixed to an externally controllable brake unit such that, when a brake dial is externally adjusted, the brush-type brake unit is tightened toward a spool so as to simply control a rotary force of the spool, thereby providing convenience of use and improving performance of a product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a spool brake system of a fishing reel is commonly adapted to a bait casting reel in order to solve the problem of a line backlash (also referred to as ‘line nesting’) that is a phenomenon in which fishing line becomes entangled due to excessive rotation of a spool.
Since the spool brake system uses a spool which is oriented towards a lateral direction and rotates while the fishing line is being cast, the bait casting reel is subjected to the backlash, compared to a spinning reel and a spin-casting reel.
Such a problem occurs mainly due to an amount of rotary motion that is performed by the spool.
A variety of brake systems have been proposed in order to solve the problem of a backlash, wherein the brake systems mainly comprise a magnet brake system or a centrifugal brake system.
As compared to the magnet brake system, the centrifugal brake system has an advantage in that as the revolution speed increases, a braking force of the centrifugal brake system increases.
Such a centrifugal brake system was disclosed in Korean unexamined patent publication No. 2002-19401, entitled “Brake system for bait casting reel having unlimited control function”.
The above centrifugal brake system for a fishing reel includes a support structure for supporting a truncated conical braking surface, a rotatable spool for fishing line, a plurality of braking elements which rotates together with the spool and is actuated to contact the braking surface, at least one rotatable cam having at least one inclined portion with an outer end and a base end, at least one interacting member which protrudes from the support structure to interact with the cam, and at least one pressing member which continuously forces the interacting member to come into contact with the cam. In use, when the interacting member is brought into contact with the base end, the braking surface is located at a first position, when the interacting member is brought into contact with the outer end, the braking surface is located at a second position, and as the braking surface is moved between the first position and the second position, the braking elements is located such that it is continuously surrounded by the braking surface.
In the conventional fishing reel having the brake system, the plurality of brake elements is formed outside an assembly of the brake elements, so that the respective brake elements come into contact with the braking surface which is outwards from the inside of a brake ring, thereby braking the rotary force of the spool.
However, the conventional fishing reel having the brake system had a problem in that since the brake elements are brought into contact with only the outer surface of the brake ring, upon casting the fishing line, as a sinker or a fish-hook passes through the peak of a casting path, the speed at which the sinker advances while drawing the fish-hook gradually decreases, so that the centrifugal force of the assembly of the brake elements considerably reduces so as not to restrict the revolution of the spool, thereby causing the fishing line to become entangled because the revolution speed of the spool exceeds the unwinding speed of the fishing line.
Here, while a user should control the revolution of the spool with his/her thumb in order to prevent the entanglement of the fishing line, this is a very skillful operation to a beginner.
Further, the conventional magnetic or centrifugal brake for a fishing reel also has a problem in that it is activated at an initial stage of the casting, i.e. when the spool is rotated at high speed, whereas, when the spool is rotated at low speed, due to a backlash, a thumbing action is needed.